Among the 5,000 who filled the basilica for Mass were homeless persons and other people in need who were seated in the front rows near Pope Francis.

After almost a year of audience talks about “zeal for evangelisation” and highlighting the example of saints and other exemplary men and women from around the world, Pope Francis said his last talks in the series would focus on four points from his 2013 apostolic exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel.

In a celebration of life, peace, joy and harmony, thousands of children representing young people on every continent greeted Pope Francis during an afternoon event in the Vatican’s Paul VI hall.

In an Apostolic Letter issued “Motu Proprio,” on his own initiative, Wednesday 1 November, Pope Francis said that in a “synodal, missionary and outgoing church,” theologians must also dialogue with other sciences and with members of other religions and that helping Catholics have a deeper understanding of the faith will be possible only if theology grapples with their questions and concerns.

The 41-page synthesis report, voted on paragraph-by-paragraph on 28 October, described its purpose as presenting “convergences, matters for consideration and proposals that emerged from the dialogue” on issues discussed under the headings of synodality, communion, mission and participation.

The two-and-a-half-page letter published on 25 October recounted the spirit and activities of the Assembly’s first session, held at the Vatican from 4 – 29 October and looked ahead to the Assembly’s second session, expressing hope that the months leading up to October 2024 “will allow everyone to concretely participate in the dynamism of missionary communion indicated by the word ‘Synod.'”

Although she died at the age of 24 in a cloistered convent, her passion for sharing the Gospel through her prayers and example led Pope Pius XI to declare her patroness of the missions in 1927, and her writings led St John Paul II to proclaim her a doctor of the church in 1997

Download the PDF Monday 23 October, 2023 Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, As I begin writing this letter, I am sitting in Saint Peter’s Basilica waiting for the Mass for the Feast of St Luke to begin. I will have you all, and those who are dear to you, in my prayers during this Mass. But I will not finish the letter this morning - it will grow over the coming days. The feast of...

In opening the work of the Synod of Bishops at the First Assembly, Pope Francis has repeated what he has said many times that “the synod is not a parliament” where the ideas of opposing parties will be debated and voted up or down along party lines.

The Holy Father acknowledged that some people have fears about the Synod, but he asked them to remember that it is “not a political gathering, but a convocation in the Spirit; not a polarised parliament, but a place of grace and communion.”